FOR TWELVE MONTHS

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 11736, 25 January 1924, Page 8

FOR TWELVE MONTHS

TREATY IN FORCE. OTHER NEGOTIATIONS. ((Received January 24, 8.25 p.m.) WASHINGTON, January 23. The official summary of the Liquor Treaty outlines the provisions, and indicates that the Treaty must he ratified in the usual manner, meaning must receive the Senate’s approval. Tho Treaty remains in force for one year, but three months before its expiration either party can suggest modifications, and if no agreement is made thereon the Treaty lapses, but otherwise continues from year to year. The Treaty also lapses if either party is prevented by any judicial decision or legislative action from giving full ef feet to its provisions. SATISFACTION EXPRESSED. The Secretary of State, Mr C. E Hughes, addressing the Fojeign Rela tions Council in New York to-night, expressed great satisfaction at the conclusion of the Treaty, and confirmed the earlier intimation that "the United States had begun negotiations with other Powers on similar lines. Mr Hughes added that Congress, by exempting vessels carrying liquor through the Panama Oanal, from the jurisdiction of the Volstead law, and receiving the Supreme Court’s approval in the recent decisions, has shown clearly that any treaty in which the United States enters exempting foreign liners calling at American ports would also be perfectly legal, since what Congress lia» done can be equally accomplished through the treaty making power. The Treaty, as, Mr Hughes originally proposed it, was known to he generally conserved in the present pact, tho chief points being, that America obtains the right to search suspicious vessels believed to be rum-running within an hour’s steaming of American shores, and British ships can enter American waters with liquor sealed. The judicial decision to which refer enoe is made was the American Supreme Court’s verdict in the so-called “Liquor Transit Case,” wiien it was decided that liquor could not be carried on the railroad through the United States, from Canada to Mexico. Although under bond it was thought that British liners’ liquor might be considered a violation of this principle The State Department held that this is not applicable to liners, the liquor not being consigned anywhere, and . the British were anxious that the Treaty should become effective as a whole or not at all.

EARLIER MESSACE

SIMILAR ARRANGEMENTS. WASHINGTON, January 23. Negotiations for ship liquor treaties similar to the Anglo-American Treaty will be begun with other maritime Governments- as soon as the AngloUnited States Treaty is signed.